Diaspora

A technical and collective term denoting the Jewish community who were dispersed from their homeland after the Babylonian exile of 6th Cent BC. Today the term is also used to denote Jews not living in Israel.

The term appears three times in the NT; once in the technical sense explained above:

Jn 7:35: "The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?" (NRSV)

Twice it is used symbolically of Christians:

Jam 1:1: "James, a servant (1) of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. " (NRSV)

1 Pet 1:1: "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia . . ." (NRSV)

In general usage, the term 'diaspora' can refer to any people group, not just Jews, who have bee dispersed from their native land.

Further Reading & Resources:

☰ E. Colin B. MacLaurin, "Beginnings of the Israelite diaspora," Australian Journal of Biblical Archaeology 1.4 (1971): 82-95.